Autocar introduces integrated CNG gauge

Autocar LLC, manufacturer of specialized severe-duty vocational trucks, now offers compressed natural gas (CNG) customers a new way to view crucial information about their fuel management module system.

In partnership with Costa Mesa, California-based Hexagon Agility, a leading global provider of renewable natural gas (RNG) fuel systems, Autocar software engineers integrated the Blue iQ smart gauge into the Autocar Always Up Display.

The integration gives operators access to real-time information regarding the truck’s fuel management system. The information provided can be customized by the end customer to include information, such as the:

• diesel gallon equivalent;
• trip economy;
• time to empty;
• distance to empty; and
• fuel pressure.

Autocar, Birmingham, Alabama, is committed to improving safety by reducing distractions for truck operators. The Blue iQ smart gauge consolidates all relevant information on one screen so the operator can easily reference the truck’s information in one place. As part of the integration effort, Autocar has introduced the ability to read CNG diagnostic information from the Always Up display.

The new system eliminates the need to wire and retrofit CNG gauges, as well as extra tools when troubleshooting issues, while improving diagnostic time.

“We are excited to offer our CNG customers a new way to monitor the performance of their Autocar trucks with an integrated solution that helps operators better understand their CNG fuel system,” Autocar LLC Chairman Andrew Taitz says. “Autocar and our customers have played a significant role in the shift toward alternative fuels in their respective vocational markets, and we are proud to lead the refuse industry in third-party system integration.”

Corporate sustainability goals and reduced cost of ownership have driven the move to natural gas and other alternative fuel options during the last decade. To help fleets meet their emissions targets, Autocar introduced CNG vehicle options for customers years ahead of competitors. The CNG technology of these purpose-built workhorses continues to improve and change to provide the same reliability and durability as their diesel counterparts.

As more fleets look to these alternative fuel options for their severe-duty vocational trucks, accessibility and ease of use have become an essential focus of Autocar in improving the overall customer experience.